HRI activists have reacted with anger at hospital chiefs’ claims that deaths have been caused by spreading services across Huddersfield and Halifax.

On Tuesday, the Examiner revealed that Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s (CHFT) views that some patients had not survived because they were in the wrong hospital.

CHFT wants to run specialist services at one site, rather than splitting them across two.

It published a series of case studies to support its bid to move cardiology and respiratory wards away from Huddersfield

Both services currently run at both sites, but doctors with more expertise about certain conditions are at Calderdale.

The case studies blamed a number of deaths on patients being admitted to one hospital when superior care was available at the other.

The trust also wants to move all ‘elderly’ patients from Calderdale to a specialist unit at the infirmary and says similar issues of fragmented care have been a factor in the deaths of some geriatric patients.

The attempt to focus expertise and resources in Calderdale has sparked outrage among campaigners from both Let’s Save HRI and Hands Off HRI.

Karl Deitch, founder of Let’s Save HRI, said: “This doesn’t wash at all!”

In an angry post on the group’s Facebook page, he said: “If medical equipment, trained staff were there, this wouldn’t happen.

“They’ve purposely cherry picked services from HRI to CRH.

Save HRI A&E campaigner Karl Deitch, St. George's Square, Huddersfield.

“This is purposely to make HRI look bad, there is only one person to blame here, Owen Williams and the trust itself.

“They’re to blame – no-one else.

“They should be held accountable as should the CCG. No two ways about it.

“They should be ashamed – they should resign.”

Commenting on Mr Deitch’s post, Rosemary Robinson described CHFT’s position as “absolutely outrageous.”

She said: “There is nothing, but nothing wrong with HRI. Deaths will have occurred at CRH also – it is an unfortunate evil that happens.

“Stop trying to discredit a fantastic hospital and demoralising its staff.

“The tactics used to try to close our hospital are well below the belt.”

Deb Wright commented: “This is yet another attempt to persuade us all that HRI isn’t fit for purpose – and if that’s the case then surely they should improve it?

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“Make it a teaching hospital, we’ve got a university to work alongside. Why can’t HRI be like Jimmys?

“Improve it, enhance the care and training. Don’t try to fool the public into believing this utter bobbins.”

Jennifer Senior said: “This is disgusting. My daughter would have died before she even got to Halifax after her heart attack.

“The doctor at HRI was fantastic in getting her stable for transfer to a specialist unit for surgery.”

Over on the Hands Off HRI forum, Val Turner, said: “How can they sink so low?

“I thought I was angry before but this is a whole new ball game.

“They deprive HRI of staff and facilities and blame them if something goes wrong. The staff at HRI must feel completely demoralised.”